Talk With Thabo Mzilikazi [ANC]

A: Yes. My name is Thabo Mzilikazi. I am from South Africa. I was
born in a city called Johannesburg. I am a member of the African
National Congress (ANC). The ANC is a political organization currently
fighting for the struggles of the South Africans today, and is
guaranteed to have 80% of the vote sometime next year in April.

I have been an activist all of my life, and I have been to prison for
some time. Right now, I feel very strongly that the ANC has done a lot.
And it is about time that the people in America should know about what
is happening in South Africa.

Q: How do you feel about what is happening in South Africa today?

A: As much as I say a lot has been done, I also feel that we shouldn't
just relax and say the apartheid system is going out the window or the
apartheid system is dying, because it hasn't. It is still alive and
kicking. And we need people to march with us in this last mile of our
struggle. So it will be very important for people to come and listen to
what I have to say.

Also I think they will be in a position to gain a lot in terms of
other struggles happening in other coutries like Somalia and Haiti. I
feel that those who are so-called "minorities" in this country have a
lot to gain from our struggle because they, too, have their own
struggles; they're all making waves and they have always supported us in
our struggle.

However, I'm not quite sure if I will be talking directly about
amnesty. ... I shouldn't speak for the ANC itself, but my feeling is
that we are not going to simply allow general amnesty because we are
changing the system ... There has been a lot of damage since this
regime has been in power (from 1948). And I don't think it is fair for
us to just let everything go and call for general amnesty.

Q: You have heard of Amnesty International, the organization?

A: Yes, I have.

Q: What have they done in South Africa, to your knowledge?

A: To my knowledge, they haven't done much -- yet. I think they also
want to drive for general amnesty in South Africa, of which I say again,
in many ways, it is not going to work. ... Some kind of pardoning has
to be done, but on the other hand, it has to come with a lot of work.

Q: So, not a blanket amnesty?

A: Yes.

Q: What do you see in the future of South Africa, both in the short
term and the long term?

A: In the short term, I would say, things are going to get worse before
they get better. And in the long term, of course, we are guaranteed to
become the most powerful country. A lot of African countries look up to
South Africa, and they have supported our struggles. So the liberation
of the South African people is the liberation of the African people at
large. It is also an example for other countries working for democracy.

Q: What do you think that the youth of today, both here in the U.S. and
in other countries, what can they do to help faciliate peace and
democracy in South Africa?

A: We are not specifically calling for the youth to help facilitate
democracy in South Africa. It is difficult for people to facilitate
peace and democracy right here [in the U.S.], but the little that they
can do, we appreciate. For example, I would urge them to call upon their
representatives to speed up the process in South Africa because, as it
is right now, there has been a lot of violence in our country, and none
of it ever comes up on the news. Only when there is one specific issue
that they have a vested interest in, then you will see it on the news.
Other than that, nothing ever comes up. Yet, I feel that this country
especially has a lot to benefit from my country. So it is important then
that the youth of this country -- they should be in a position to know
about not only South Africa, okay, but other struggles in other
countries. That will help because I feel that people have been shut out
for too long and, yet, they have a role to play. ... So they should
try and minimize ignorance and start sharing with each other.

My favourite quote, one which is usually used in the African National
Congress, is: "Each one, teach one."

**********
[The following has been changed for e-mail distribution and also because
Thabo has already spoken ....]

Thabo Mzilikazi, a representative of the Youth League of the African
National Congress and also a student currently attending Weber State
University, spoke on 16 November 1993 at 10:30 am in the Social Science
building at Weber State University in room 235. His talk was sponsored
by the WSU chapter of Amnesty International.

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* CopyLeft 1993 by Wasatch Area Voices Express (W.A.V.E.)
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